IDIOMS FROM A TO Z

A

A chink in sb´s armour.
Example: She is the best student in the class but her poor spelling is the chink in her armour.




B

Spill the beans.
Example: I know you have a secret. C´mon tell me. Spill the beans.

C

Let the cat out of the bag.
Example: You are not good at keeping secrets. Tell us now. Let the cat out of the bag.



That´s the way the cookie crumbles.
Example: I can´t believe she decided to go to the graduation dance with Sam instead of me. But well, that´s the way the cookie crumbles.

D

Look like a million dollars.
Example: She looks amazing in her new dress. She looks like a million dollars.

E

Let´s play it by ear.
Example: Let´s make no plans for today. Let´s just play it by ear.



A white elephant.
Example: Nobody uses the computer in the teachers´ room. It´s a white elephant.



F

Fair-weather friend.
Example: He is never there when I need him. 
He is a fair-weather friend.




G

Sour grapes. 
Example: He didn´t get the job and now he is saying that he really didn't want it, but we all know it is just sour grapes.

H

Learn something by heart.

Example: When we were at school our teacher made us memorise the multiplication table. I learnt it by heart.

I

The tip of the iceberg.
Example: The discipline problems in the school are just the tip of the iceberg. We feel they have greater and really more serious matters to worry about.




K

L

M

Once in a blue moon.

Example: I don´t see him too often. He comes to visit once in a blue moon.

N

On cloud nine.
Example: She has just got the promotion she wanted and she is on cloud nine.

O

On the house.

Example: We don´t need to pay for that bottle of wine. The restaurant will pay for it. It´s on the house.

Is on me.

Example: I will pay for everybody´s drinks. They are on me.

P

A hot potato.
Example: The issue has become a political hot potato.


R

Like a red rag to a bull. Example: Asking about her ex-boyfriend was like a red rag to a bull. She got really angry all of a sudden.


S

Move at a snail´s pace.

Example: I arrived late because the train was moving at a snail´s pace.

Get something out of one´s system.



T

Bark up the wrong tree.

Example: Sorry I can´t help you with your homework. I´m bad at mathematics. You are barking up the wrong tree.

W

Under the weather.
Example: Claudia is not going to school today because she´s feeling a bit under the weather.

Have a whale of a time.
Example: We had a whale of a time in Mexico. Yes, indeed, it was a fantastic trip.




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